1 Timothy 1:16 Explained

"Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting." — 1 Timothy 1:16 (KJV)

Paul explains why the man who persecuted the church was the one who got mercy first, and the reason is not about him.

Read it in context: The Book of 1 Timothy. Also gathered under verses about patience.

1 Timothy 1:16 in context

What does 1 Timothy 1:16 mean?

'Pattern' translates a word for a sketch or outline — a first draft others are drawn from. The logic is a lesser-to-greater argument: if the longsuffering reached him, the question of whether it reaches you is settled. He is not being modest. He is offering himself as evidence, and the evidence only works if the self-assessment is accurate.

What is the context of 1 Timothy 1:16?

He has just called himself the chief of sinners, in the present tense. Verse 16 gives the purpose behind that: the worst case was chosen deliberately, so that the demonstration would be unambiguous.

How do I pray 1 Timothy 1:16?

Pray it when your own history is the reason you think you are outside. Put yourself second in the comparison rather than first — the verse is built so that Paul is the extreme and you are not. Then ask what your own case is a pattern of for somebody watching, which is the use he is putting his to.

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